Written by Erin Hull
Here at Get Kids into Survey, we have started planning and drafting ideas for our upcoming Environment poster. We thought we would share some of the resources we have come across in the recent weeks… they may be useful for lessons, home learning ideas or just for you to check out! There are a range of environmental topics discussed, some which happen naturally and others that are induced by human actions. It is our aim to include as much as possible in the poster to spread awareness of what is happening to our planet. It is so important now more than ever that everyone understands what is going on with the big sphere in which we live, so that we do not cause even more irreversible problems.
The British Geological Survey (BGS) are an organisation focused on public-good science for government and research to understand earth and environmental processes. They have a landslides database, which holds records of over 18,000 landslides in the UK, as well as a range of case studies, and then there are all sorts of construction, remediation, safety measures which can be implemented. If you want to look further into what they do, have a read of some of their research articles. They hold a lot of information on a range of topics with extreme relevance. Take a look: https://www.bgs.ac.uk/geology-projects/landslides/national-landslide-database/
Global warming is an issue that brings with it a lot of different factors. What I love about this resource by NASA, is that it is visual and easy to comprehend. NASA show a time machine back through the last 100/200 years to see the changing Sea Ice, Sea Level, Carbon Dioxide and Global Temperature changes. Another interesting side of geospatial is environmental / climate monitoring – imagine working for someone like NASA?! Please have a play with this resource that demonstrates that change needs to be made or else this pattern may continue: https://climate.nasa.gov/interactives/climate-time-machine/
Everybody remembers spending lots of time studying volcanoes and earthquakes at school. These two hazards including their monitoring is another large area of employment in high risk areas, producing hazard maps, setting incident levels and response measures /evacuation plans. MapAction is an organisation worth mentioning, they work with Humanitarian emergencies that often strike without warning, destroying lives and livelihoods within a matter of seconds. In the immediate aftermath, the challenge for those responding is to know where to start. So between 24-48 hours after a disaster the volunteer mappers are on the scene, collecting data that is vital to efficiently handling the support. “Which area has been worst affected? Where are the most vulnerable people? What has happened to roads, railways and communication networks? Where are medical supplies and where are they needed most?” are some of the most common questions that need answers to… fast! Take a look at their website, they have a lot of data sets and maps that show a variety of information from around the world: https://mapaction.org
Do you know what your carbon footprint is? It is interesting to find out and amazing to see what different factors contribute the most to increasing your carbon usage. Although some may put this problem down to the larger companies, it is each of our responsibilities to make little changes and be as kind as we can to our planet. If we all start making little changes to improve, that will equal a whole lot of positives between hundreds, thousands or millions of people. Have a go at this carbon footprint calculator by the charity WWF: https://footprint.wwf.org.uk/#/
The War on Waste Documentary by Craig Reucassel has returned for a 2nd series after the first series sparked action across Australia and beyond. Craig targets a different aspect in each of his episodes, starting with the extreme issues with our food waste. Moving on to plastic waste in the oceans, the problems with fast fashion, and looking at possible solutions for these problems. Available here: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/war-on-waste/series/1/video/DO1624H003S00
I could not write this blog without including the legendary Sir David Attenborough. He has presented and helped showcase so many beautiful places around the world. In his more recent documentary (A Life on Our Planet) he highlights how the world has changed since he started and the differences over time are truly shocking. The emotion he displays in trying to make the world realise what is currently happening is hard for anyone to ignore. So, please have a watch (available on Netlix): https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/80216393
On that note, it would be great if you would like to get involved in helping educate the next generation on these topics mentioned. There is still time to put your stamp on the poster with a collection of other great brands. We need you to be able to bring awareness to our industry and all of the opportunities for great careers within it. For more information you can look on our sponsor page here https://www.getkidsintosurvey.com/get-involved/, or email us direct at hello@getkidsintosurvey.com
We look forward to hearing from you.